1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for automatically locking a top closing flap on an L-slide lock case.
2. Description of Background Art
There is much prior art on apparatus for setting up as well as closing cartons and the like utilizing various members to contact carton flaps and tuck or insert them for closing purposes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,660,012 and 3,002,432 are exemplary of such prior art.
Cartons having L-slide locks are commercially available in various sizes from Stone Container Corp. Such cartons or cases are used by Frito-Lay, Inc. to package bags of snack foods such as potato chips, corn chips, and the like, for shipment. The L-slide locks on the cartons make them easy to close by just inserting the opposite ends of an upstanding flap into the lock slots. L-slide lock cases are used for shipment of snack bags because they are re-usable and can be closed without the use of glue, staples, tape, or other destructive closure means. When the cases are emptied, they are collapsible as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,960,313 and 4,007,869, for ease in shipment back to the factory to be refilled. L-slide lock cases have heretofore been manually closed after the bags of product were packed into the case. The obvious drawbacks to manual closing are that it is labor-intensive, time-consuming and hence extremely expensive. However, there have been several obstacles to a commercially practical L-slide lock closing apparatus. Examples of these obstacles include the varying sizes of the L-slide lock cases corresponding to different size bags of snack foods, and the different directional orientations that the cases are packed.
There is need in the art for a relatively simple and efficient, automatic case closing apparatus for L-slide lock cartons which is easily adjustable for different size cases and different packing orientations.